Automatic sediment purger for tube ice machines



H. v. HEUSER 2,657,547

AUTOMATIC SEDIMENT PURGER FOR TUBE ICE MACHINES Nov. 3, 1953 Filed May29 1950 INVENTOR. Hen/y f/euser I BY ATTORNEY Fig. 1

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 AUTOMATIC SEDIMENT PURGER FOR TUBE ICE MACHINESHenry V. Heuser, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Henry Vozt MachineCompany, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application May 29,1950, Serial No. 164,875

4 Claims. (Cl. 62107) The present invention relates to ice-makingmachines, and relates in particular to an automatic sediment purger forclearing the water of sediment precipitated out by the freezingoperation.

In machines of the tube type water is introduced into a supply tankthrough a level-controlled valve, and from the tank the water is pumpedto the tops of the ice tubes of the freezer. Part of the water flowingdown through the tubes is frozen and remains in the tubes, and theexcess water, cooled to near freezing by its passage through thefreezer, is returned to the tank.

The freezing action concentrates the mineral content in the waterreturned to the tank to the oint where the mineral content precipitatesout. As water is being continuously added to replenish the water removedby freezing, this mineral sediment builds up to a quantity which isobjectionable, because of the possibility that the sediment maycirculate with the water and become frozen into the ice. Heretofore ithas been necessary to manually drain and clean the supply tank atintervals to remove this sediment. This requires the attention of anoperator, and also has the disadvantage that during intervals betweencleaning there may be some sediment frozen into the ice. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide for automaticremoval of sediment from the supply tank, so as to prevent the sedimentaccumulating and circulating with the water to be frozen.

In accordance with" the present invention, the supply tank isconstructed with a low point or sump to which sediment tends togravitate, and an overflow conduit is connected to the tank at this lowpoint. A level-controlled inlet valve is adjusted so that during thefreezing cycle it will maintain a liquid level slightly below theoverflow level but high enough so that when the pump is stopped at theend of each freezing cycle and the waterin suspension in the circulatingsystem is returned to the supply tank, the overflow level is exceeded inthe tank and water is discharged from the tank through the overflow pipeconnection at the sump. As the overflow pipe is connected to the lowpoint or sump in the tank,

'nection with the accompanying drawing illus- Figure 2 of modifications.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a conventional freezer I of thetube type, which may comprise a jacket 2 for containing a. refrigerantsurrounding water tubes 3, and through which tubes flows water or otherliquid to be frozen. At the end of the freezing cycle a hot fluid isintroduced into the jacket to thaw loose the solidified ice rods in thetubes, and the tubes are cut or broken by a severing device 4, the

- pieces being deflected by a baifie 5 to a grid 6 from the escape ofwater carries along a substantial part of the sediment, thus removing itfrom the tank. Thus, the purging of the water tank auto,-

maticallyfoccurs at the end of each freezing cycle, without draining thewhole tank.

The invention will be explained in greater detail in the follow ngdescription taken in conwhich they fallto a storage bin 1. A watersupply tank 8 is located below the grid, and a pump 9 draws waterfromthe tank to a distributing chamber II at the top of the freezer, fromwhich the water is distributed to the tubes. Excess water flowingthrough the tubes passes through grid 6 back to the tank 8.

A. float l2 or other automatic level-controlled device operates an inletvalve l3 for the water tank to admit sufficient water to maintain asubstantially constant level of water in the tank. By this arrangement,as the water level in the tank drops due'to loss of water by freezing inthe tubes, the replacement water is added. The excess water returned tothe tank becomes chilled in its'passage through the ice tubes so thatthe water supplied to the distributing chamber II at the .topsof thetubes is close to the freezing point. The tank 8 has a sloping bottomI4, and at its lowest point there is connected a pipe which serves as anoverflow and drain pipe. The overflow pipe l5 extends upward and has abend It at or'a'bovethe operating level of water in the tank, and thedrain pipe I! is normally closed by a valve [8. Because the overflowpipe I5 is connected at the low point of the tank, sediment willgravitate to this point, and at each overflow the sediment will beflushed out the overflow pipe.

The operation of the invention now will be explained. The ball float l2tends to maintain the level of water in the tank 8- between a minimumand maximum level, and the overflow pipe I5 is set so that the bend itlies above the maximum level thus maintained in the tank, at which levelthe valve i3 is shut off by: the float. As-

the volume of the water in circulation or suspension in the system.Thus, when the pump is shut on and the water in suspension ,is returnedto the tank the overflow level is reached before all the water hasreturned, so that a volume of Water equal to the rest of the .water willescape through the overflow and carry with it the precipitateaccumulated in the tank. The amount of water purged in this way from thesystem is predetermined by the following formula: volume of water intank at average level during operation .plus water in suspension, minusthe volume of water at overflow level, equals the purged water. Thus, bysetting the overflow level and the float level as required, the desiredamount of water may be purged each time the pump stops, varying fromzero for lowest setting of the fioat ball to a maximum which isthe-volume of'water held in suspension during the freezing period.Because the pump is shut off at the'beginning of each thawing cycle, thesediment is automatically purged from the supply tank at such intervals.

In the modification shown in Figure 3 wherein like parts are designatedby like reference numerals, the drain pipe l1 connects to the bottom ofthe tank and is provided with an inverted U-tube 2| vented at the top at22. This arrangement operates in the same way as that shown in Figure 2,and has the additional advantage that the drain pipe I! serves to carryaway the overflow from pipe 2|, thereby eliminating the additional piperequired in Figure '2. The vent 22 at the top prevents the developmentof a siphoning action after the overflow starts. Valve i8 ordinarily isclosed and. is opened to drain the tank.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 an inverted U-shaped pipe '23extends through the end wall of the tank and has its horizontal portionor bend 24 at the maximum water level. This eliminates the underneathconnection provided in Figure 3 with a saving inheadroom of severalinches. The vent '22 is controlled by a valve 25 which normally is open.When the pump stops, the return to the tank of the water in suspensionraises the level, and flow through pipe 23 commences when the overflowlevel -0 is reached. The device may be employed as a drain by closingvalve 25 which results in .a 51-,

phOn action to drain the tank.

I claim as my invention:

providing tubes subject to alternate freezing and thawing temperaturesand through which water to be frozen is passed; a water supply tankproviding a low point to which sediment gravitates; means connected to ahigher point in the tank for pumping water from the supply tank to thetops of .the freezer tubesswhereby during the freezing period axquantityof water is maintained in suspension; means controlled by the level ofwater in the tank for replenishing water in the tank to a predeterminedlevel; means for stopping flow of water to the freezer tubes during "thethawing cycle whereby the suspended water returns .to the tank toiraisethe liquid level therein; andanloverflow pipe having a bend positionedbetween said predetermined level and raised level connected to said lowpoint of the tank to purge settledsdlidstherethrough and to limitsiphoning of water to the level of said bend.

2. In an ice making machine an enclosure subject .to alternate freezingand thawing phases through which flows water to be frozen; a watersupply tank providing a low point to which sediment gravitates; meansconnected to said tank for pumping water from the supply tank to saidenclosure during the freezing phase whereby a quantity of water is.maintained .in suspension, and the Water in suspension is returned tothe tank during the thawing phase; an intermittent drain connectedtosaid low point operative at a predetermined water level in the supplytank to drain water until a differential minimum level in the tank isreached; and a supply valve having level control means adjusted tomaintain the maximum Water level .in the tank during the freezingphasejin a range'between below said predetermined level and .a level nolower than said differential distance below said minimum level, so thatsaid drain becomes operative upon return of the water in suspension tothe tank.

3. A tube ice-making machine as specified in claim 2 wherein theintermittent siphon comprises an inverted .U-tube having a valvedconnection-between thelegs of the U, and having an air vent in .said,bend to limit siphoning.

4. A tube ice-making machine as specified in claim .2 wherein theintermittent siphon comprises an inverted U-tube passing through a wallof the tank, and having a valved vent between the .legs of the U toprevent siphoning in open position of the valve.

HENRY V. HEUSER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,436,350 Lundberg Nov. 21, 1922 1,461,673 Papin July 10, 19232,239,234 'Kubaugh Apr. 22, 1941 2,303,000 Ribble Nov. 24, 1942

